How to reset File History in Windows 11/10

This tutorial shows how to reset File History on a Windows 11/10 computer. File History feature in Windows PC helps to save copies of files stored on the Desktop, Documents, Favorites, Pictures, Videos, Saved Games, Downloads, Music, and other locations to a network location or an external drive (SSD, HDD, or USB drive). This lets you get back your files even if the original files are damaged or lost. You can easily turn on and use File History to backup and restore files. However, if you face some problems in using this feature, then you may need to reset File History settings to default. The steps covered in this post will help you with that.

Do note that resetting the File History settings to default won’t remove the FileHistory folder stored in the backup drive. It only removes the FileHistory folder and stored items available in your account or user profile in your Windows 11/10 system.

How to reset File History in Windows 11/10

There are two ways to reset File History on a Windows 11/10 PC. These are:

Reset File History from the original location
Reset File History using the Command Prompt window.

Let’s check both options.

1] Reset File History from the original location

File History data is stored under a FileHistory folder present in the Windows folder on your system. So, you can access that original location and then reset the File History manually. For this, follow these steps:

First, show hidden files and folders on your Windows 11/10 computer so that you can access the Windows folder
In the address bar of File Explorer, paste the following path, and press the Enter key:

%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows

Look for the FileHistory folder and open it. You won’t see this folder if File History is turned off
Select all the items (Configuration folder and Data folder) stored in that folder and delete them.

Read: File History not working in Windows 11; Doesn’t recognize this drive

2] Reset File History using the Command Prompt window

This option deletes the entire FileHistory folder present in the Windows folder to reset File History to default settings. The steps are as follows:

Type cmd in the Search box and press the Enter key
When the Command Prompt window is opened, enter and execute the following command:

if exist "%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory" RD /S /Q "%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\FileHistory"

This command first checks if the FileHistory folder and this location are present on your PC. If yes, then the given parameters remove that folder or directory and sub-folders and files present in that directory in the quiet mode.

Hope this helps.

Where is File History stored in Windows 11?

If you want to access the File History backups stored in your Windows 11 computer, then open the Control Panel window, access the System and Security category, and select the File History option. On the left section, click on the Restore personal files option. A window will open where you can see all the saved versions of your files. Each version shows the backup locations such as Desktop, Contacts, Documents, etc. Double-clicking on any location will show the backup items.

How do I clear recents in Windows 11?

To clear all the Recent items (recently accessed OneDrive files, most recent files opened from a hard drive, etc.) from File Explorer in Windows 11, first open File Explorer (Win+E). Click on the Home page from the navigation pane. Right-click on the Recent section and this will automatically select all the files present in that section. Finally, click on the Remove from Recent option present in the right-click menu.